A reporter found herself in the middle of the chaos that erupted between Michigan and Ohio State on Saturday, getting caught in the crossfire of pepper spray after the Wolverines pulled off a dramatic 13-10 victory over their bitter rivals in Columbus.
Stephanie Otey of 97.1 The Fan took to social media shortly after the incident, sharing a video on X (formerly Twitter) in which she described how law enforcement had resorted to using pepper spray to control the fracas. “Cops came out and started pepper spraying everywhere,” Otey said in the clip, visibly holding a tissue to her eyes. “I got nailed in the eyes.”
Otey’s video then panned to the chaotic scene at midfield, showing the pandemonium that unfolded as tensions boiled over between players from both teams. During the video, Otey captured the moment she was sprayed, with the camera abruptly going dark as the chaos intensified. The journalist, clearly shaken but maintaining her composure, explained, “I don’t know where it came from, but there was a lot of chaos. First time being pepper sprayed, right in my eyes.”
The pepper spray incident followed an attempt by Michigan players to plant their flag on Ohio State’s iconic midfield logo—a bold move that triggered a furious reaction from Buckeyes players, resulting in a scuffle that required police intervention. Moments of high tension were visible across the broadcast, with several Michigan players seen wiping tears from their eyes, presumably from the effects of the pepper spray that had been deployed by law enforcement.
Ohio State University Police confirmed the use of pepper spray in a statement shared on X later that afternoon. The statement read, “Following the game, officers from multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in breaking up an on-field altercation. During the scuffle, multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan deployed pepper spray. OSUPD is the lead agency for games & will continue to investigate.”
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The chaotic scene was one of several intense moments that unfolded during the postgame altercation. The use of pepper spray was a drastic measure that highlighted the scale of the tension between the two fierce rivals in the wake of Michigan’s upset win over the No. 2 ranked Buckeyes. Rivalry games are always highly charged, but this particular incident underscored just how deep the emotions run in one of college football’s most storied matchups.
In a follow-up video message posted later on Saturday, Otey assured her followers that she was doing well despite the incident and took a moment to reflect on the experience of being caught in the chaos. “What an experience to get pepper sprayed and to be in a quarrel like that,” she said. “Honestly, it’s like a reporter’s dream to be part of those kinds of games.”
Otey went on to describe the initial fear she experienced after being sprayed, especially as she struggled with her vision. “Nope, I’m good. It hurt at first. I was more scared that I couldn’t see, as you could hear when the video was still rolling, but I was more concerned about my vision,” she said. “And then when people said, ‘Oh, it was pepper spray,’ that’s when I felt the pain of it all. But yeah, I felt better pretty quick, recovered, and then we got to the postgame.”
Despite the dramatic turn of events, Otey remained positive, even finding some excitement in the experience. “We’re all good, kind of pumped about that experience. It was thrilling and chaotic, but that’s the game for you guys,” she added, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of covering high-stakes rivalry games.
The mayhem at Ohio Stadium was just one of several fiery scenes that erupted across the college football landscape during Rivalry Week, as emotions ran high and tensions boiled over in multiple matchups. Flag-planting incidents led to brawls in other games as well, making it a weekend full of both memorable plays and unforgettable postgame drama.
For reporters like Otey, it was an up-close look at the raw intensity that makes college football rivalry games some of the most compelling moments in sports.
